Flying target



Sept- 1, 1953 l.. R. JJJJ AN 2,650,829

GGGGGGGGGG ET Patented Sept. l, 1953 FLYING TARGET Lynvell R. Jordan, Santa Monica, Calif., assigner to Jack B. Nethercutt, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March Y9, 1950, Serial No. 148.560

Claims.

This invention has to do with a flying target and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, improved target of the type used in operations commonly referred to as trap shooting or skeet shooting.

The present invention is primarily concerned with a target to be handled or projected by launching apparatus commonly employed in connection with skeet or trap shooting and the target that is provided is characterized by a thin, fiat, center portion, round in plan configuration, a curved or bowl-shaped flange B that projects from the periphery of the center, and a rim which is ring shaped and which is joined to or carried by the flange. In accordance with the invention the inner or concave side of the target as formed by the center flange and rim is smooth and plain, being gently curved to conform to the general contour of the structure, and being wholly without sharp or abrupt shoulders, ribs, ridges, or other such characteristics. The exterior of the target is characterized by certain structural features that result from the outer periphery of the ange being joined to one end of the rim at the inside thereof, by the rim being substantially polygonal in cross sectional conguration to have an outer periphery that extends axially of the target, and by a top end which is flat and unobstructed and which occurs in a plane normal to the axis of the target. The center is so joined to the inner periphery of the flange that its outer or topl side, which is preferably flat, is inset 'somewhat from the upper or top end of the target.

The exterior of the flange follows the general shape or contour of the flange and is therefore generally spherical in curvature. However, it has a portion of maximum diameter adjoining the rim and extending axially of the target while the remaining portion is stepped to present shoulders V.which are concentric with the axis of the target and extend parallel with the axis of the target. An outstanding feature of the `invention is the construction by which the flange and rim are made practical for handling and launching of the target and yet are so weakened as to readily fail when struck while in the course of flight. The invention provides a series of equally spaced grooves or channels in the exterior of the flange conned strictly to the flange and so formed, shaped, and proportioned as to give the structure the desired characteristics. The rim is provided with corresponding notches or channels which are confined to the outer peripheral portion of the rim. y

A general object of this invention is to provide .general character.

a target of the general character referred to which. can be economically manufactured of a material o r composition of materials such as are employed 1n articles of this character and which can be advantageously made within the limits or standards required for targets to be used in connection with skeet or trap shooting.;

Another object of this invention is to provide a target of the general character referred .to whlch 1s so formed and constructed as to have adequate strength to enable it to be easily and pract1cally handled and launched but which when 1n flight, is exceedingly fragile and is sub-I Ject to being fractured when struck by but one pellet from a load of shot such as is used in skeet or trap shooting. v lIt is a further object of this invention to provide a target of the general character referred to lpractical for shipment and handling, which. 1s such that 4it can be thrown or put into flight by conventional launching apparatus and which has -weakened points established as by grooves or notches which materially weaken it when in night, and make it subject to being readily fractured, while at the same time having little or no influence upon the desired flight characteristics. The various objects and features of my invent1on will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to 'the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

'Fig 1 is a perspective view of the target provided by the present invention showing it from what will be termed the top and from one side.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the target. Fig. 3

is a side elevation of the target. Fig. 4 is a reduced bottom view or elevation and Fig. 5 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 2. The target provided by this invention is preferably a unitary or integral body of suitable material such as the composition or mixture commoniy used in the manufacture of articles of this For purpose of example the target may be considered as being formed of a composition embodying or including about limestone and about 35% coal tar.

The article as provided byv this invention is characterized, generally, by a center A, a flange and is preferably in the nature of a dat round disc of uniform wall thickness. `'Ihe center is preferably located in a plane which is normal to the central axis of the target.

The flange B of the target is joined to and projects from the periphery of the center to be concentric with the center and it is preferably curved to be somewhat bowl-shaped. In practice the flange may vary in wall thickness at various parts and may, in general, be spherically curved. The inner peripheral portion' IIJ of the ange is somewhat inwardly turned or deflected and is the part of the flange to which the center A is connected, and it supports the center in a plane somewhat below or inward of the uppermost part or .edge II of the target. In the particular form of the invention illustrated the flange B iszofminimum wall thickness adjacent theipart'l'uandit increases somewhat in wall vthickness asitextends radially outward and axially to the outer peripheral portion I2, which is joined to 'the rim C.

The-outer wall or face I3 of the outerperi-ph- `eral portion I2 is curved Iand is concentric with the-axis of the target and extends a substantial distance axially of the target. The wall or face I4 of the iiange B, which extends betweenthe face' I3 and the innermost portion of the flange is convex and-may be substantially uniform in curvature as shown throughout the drawings. In

`vaccordance with the present invention several rib- -like projectionsor steps I are provided on the .convex face I4 of the flange and each step is s0 formed as to have an outer face I6 curved con- `centricfwith Athe axis of the target and extending axially ofthe target and a at face Il which .is in a plane normal to'the longitudinal axis of the target. The several steps I5 vary in diameterfand in the case illustrated there are three :such-steps.

The rim C is a ring-shaped element substantially polygonal in cross sectional coniiguration.

bottom end face 24 has a downwardly projecting I convexly curved rib 2ia adjoining the inner periphery of the rim C, as shown in Fig. 5 of the "drawings The inner wall or faceA 25 of the rim is pitched and extends upwardly and inwardly rfrom the rib 24a at bottom face 24 so that the rim is somewhat thicker radially where it joins the l 4`flange than it is at the lower end of ther target. "1n accordance with the invention the large or "outermost -end' portion of the angeB joins the upper inner corner portion of the rim C in the 'mannerclearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Afseries' of grooves or lines of weakening is es- Ytablis-he'dinthe flange portion B ofthe target. v

thisbeingthe size common'fcr targets of this 4 type, it is preferred to proportion the various parts about as shown in the drawing, in which case the notches 30 are made about 11e of an inch deep in the wall or face I4 of flange B, and are about of an inch in width.

The invention provides a series of notches 40 in the rim C of the target and it is preferred that .the notches 44I) `be made to-correspond -in number'and arrangement with the notches 3B so that there is a notch 40 in the rim radially outward of each notch that occurs in the flange. The notches 40 may, in practice, correspond in width fanddepth with the notches 30 and they preferably extend the entire length of the rim, that is. froxnth'et'op''endv 20'to the bottom end 24.

From Vthe foregoing description it will be ap- .;.parent how the .present invention provides a structure the exterior of which is such as appears in Figsfl,v 2 and 3 of the drawings. An important feature of the invention is the shape or con- -iiguration of the interior ofthe target,.and.from Fig. l5 of the drawings, it will be apparent'. how

the several elements or features vof the target may be joined or related .so thatthe inner surface or wall of the target is .plain and smooth'throughout, being entirely freeof sharp ridges, ledges. or protuberances likely tointerfere with stable flight and proper operation of` the target.

It is to be understood'thatthe Various features of the target asrhereinaboveV described'may, yin practice, be slightly pitched or modified in lorder -to-provide drift enabling thetarget to be economically molded, for example, in practice the -notches 38 and 4i) are not necessarily angular or sharp cornered, 'but' thefsides may be made to converge inwardly vsomewhat and the bottoms may be slightly. rounded.

From the foregoing Adescription-it will be apparent that the invention'hasprovided a target conforming, generally, `with standards followed in the manufacture ofarticles of this type, while at thefsamev timeI thetarget, when spinning and .in ilightis highly vulnerableto-impact. It has been found that impact representative of about one and one half pellets is necessaryto break .an Aordinary target in fiight,ywhereas-impact corresponding toabout one half a pellet is al1 that is necessarytofracture the target of -.the present invention. In spite Vof the vulnerability to -fracture the'ta'rgetofy the present invention is suchthat itcan be handled economically and lwith minimum breakage .and can be-operated from usual' launchingY equipment without undue breakage.

Having 'describedonly-a typical preferred form .and application foff my inventiom do not'wish to be limited 'or restricted to i the specific details herein set forth/but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled 'in the art and fall within the scope of thefollowing claims.

`Having vdescribed my invention, I. claim:

1. A target ofthecharacter describedhaving a unitary friable bodywith a substantially-flat disc-shaped center, an-annular angejoined to the periphery off'the center and extending'radially and'axially therefrom, and-an annular rim joinedto the outer periphery of theiilange and projecting axially therefrom, 'the exterior ofthe flange" being' substantially convex inform and having circumferentially spaced radially disposed notches of substantially equal width and* depth therein extending continuously from where the flange joins the center to wherethe flange joins the rim and rendering theflange subject to disintegration when struck, the exterior of the flange having annular ribs thereon in stepped relation and concentric with the nan-ge and the interior of the flange being smoothly curved.

2i. A target of the character described having a unitary friable body with a substantially llat disc-shaped center, an annular flange joined to the periphery of the center and extending radially and axially therefrom, and an annular rim joined to the outer periphery of the ange and projecting axially therefrom, and having circumferentially spaced longitudinally disposed notches in the outer periphery thereof, the exterior of the flange being substantially convex in form and having circumferentially spaced radially disposed notches of substantially equal width and depth therein extending continuously from Where the flange joins the center to where the ange joins the rim and rendering the flange subject to disintegration when struck, the exterior of the fiange having annular ribs thereon in stepped relation and concentric with the flange and the interior of the flange being smoothly curved.

3. A target of the character described having a unitary friable body with a substantially flat disc-shaped center, an annular flange joined to the periphery of the center and extending radially and axially therefrom, and an annular rim joined to the outer periphery of the ange and projecting axially therefrom, and having circumferentially spaced longitudinally disposed notches in the other periphery thereof, the exterior of the flange being substantially convex in form and having circumferentially spaced radially disposed notches of substantially equal Width and depth therein extending continuously from Where the flange joins the center 'to Where the flange joins the rim and rendering the ange subject to disintegration when struck, the exterior of the flange having annular ribs thereon in stepped relation and concentric with the flange and the interior of the flange being smoothly curved, the notches in the flange and the notches in the rim corresponding in number and circumferential positioning.

4. A target of the character described having a unitary friable body with a dat disc-shaped center of substantially uniform Wall thickness, an annular bowl-shaped flange having its inner periphery joined to the outer periphery of the center with the center inset therefrom, the exterior of the ange being substantially convex in form, and a rim with a dat top parallel with the center and an outer periphery extending straight axially of the target, the upper inner portion of the rim being joined With the outer periphery ol' the flange, there being circumferentially spaced continuous notches of substantially equal width and depth in the exterior of the flange extending radially of the target, the ends of the notches occurring at the inner and outer peripheries of the flanges, and there being circumferentially spaced notches in the outer periphery of the rim and extending longitudinally of the target, the notches in the rim being in alignment with the notches in the flange longitudinally of the target. 5. A target of the character described having a unitary friable body with a flat disc-shaped center of substantially uniform Wall thickness, an annular bowl-shaped flange having its inner periphery joined to the outer periphery of the center With the center inset therefrom, the exterior of the flange being substantially convex in form, a rim with a flat top parallel with the center and an outer periphery extending straight axially of the target, the upper inner portion of the rim being joined with the outer periphery of the flange, and annular ridges in stepped relation on the exterior of the ilange and concentric therewith, there being circumferentially spaced notches of substantially equal width and depth in the exterior of the flange extending straight radially of the target and from the inner periphery of the ange to the rim, and there being circumferentially spaced continuous notches in the outer periphery of the rim and extending longitudinally of the target, the inner surfaces of the center, llange and rim being smooth and faired one into the other, the notches in the flange and the rim being of substantially like size and shape and the notches in the rim being spaced 30 apart and corresponding in spacing and circumferential arrangement with the notches in the flange.

LYNVELL R. JORDAN,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 17,419 Cruttenden et al. June 28, 1887 D. 26,913 Parker Apr, 13, 1897 393,435 Jacobs Nov. 27, 1888 571,958 Saylor Nov. 24, 1896 2,106,655 Pollard Jan. 25, 1938 2,148,063 Evans Feb. 21, 1939 2,211,244 Routledge Aug. 13, 1940 2,418,936 Hutchinson et al. Apr. 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 146,687 Germany Dec. 22, 1903 28,038 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1912 778,969 France Jan. 5, 1935 

